Heart of Darkness
by Diego Varen
Summary: Out of time, the Doctor is trapped in the TARDIS and Jack is stranded in the darkness. Both men are now prey to the dangers there. On Earth in 1908, Eilidh meets her family. A family who she never knew existed. TToaTL 1.7 and please review.
1. Prologue: The Midnight Murder

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* * *

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**Doctor** **Who**

**Heart of Darkness**

* * *

_**Prologue**_

_The Midnight Murder_

It was a bitter night outside, in the darkened streets of Cardiff. Little lights were on and there weren't any signs of nearby shelters or houses to stay in. Blind beggars and poor people sat around on the street, attempting to plead whoever was nearby for spare coppers and even food.

Gunnar Crouch ignored the many minions of the homeless, as he carried on, hoping upon all hope that he would get home soon. Of course, it wasn't his home, for it was his master's and his mistresses'. Gunnar only worked as their family butler and he had his own guest room in the house. It was thanks to them that they even allowed him to stay, since if they didn't, Gunnar would have to be looking all over Cardiff for the nearest bed and breakfast.

Soon, Gunnar reached his destination, number thirteen, Black Smoke. Every time Gunnar laid his eyes on the darkened house, he was certain that it was evil or at least cursed. For the first few months he had been in service, he had always had a feeling that bad luck was around him. It was probably due to the house being the thirteenth house and that the house itself was called Black Smoke.

What was stranger still, was that there were no other houses surrounding Black Smoke. Being the thirteenth house, there should've been at least twelve other houses with it, but there wasn't. The thirteenth house was the only house in the area.

Gunnar shook his pessimistic feelings off and walked up the cobble steps. He had been in service to the family of the house for many years and they were the nicest family that he had ever worked for. His master and mistress while stern were fair and the house inside was a complete contrast to what the house looked like from the outside. The interior of the house was usually warm and cosy, while the exterior was cold and unwelcoming. As soon as he was in the house, he'd be okay again.

Gunnar knocked on the door with his right hand, thirteen times. Thirteen? Was that a coincidence or was something controlling him beyond his control? _Get over yourself man_, Gunnar told himself sternly in his mind, _there's nothing to worry about here_.

Soon, his master, Sir Albert Kardssen opened the door. Gunnar felt a little bit guilty. Normally, it would've been his job to open the door, not his master's. That was what he was being paid for, after all.

But his master didn't mind. With a charming smile and a quick shake of the hand, his master led Gunnar inside.

"Wipe your feet on the mat, my dear fellow," his master told him happily, as Gunnar took off his coat and hung it on the coat stand, "It's a bitter night out there, isn't it? I hope you haven't caught a cold, otherwise I'll have to consider replacing you."

"I've noticed that it is quite bitter out there too, sir," Gunnar replied, as he wiped his heavy boots on the mat, before taking them off.

Gunnar knew that his master's mood was normally like this. Despite what he had last said, he knew that his master wouldn't sack him at all, as he usually commented on how brilliant he service Gunnar gave to him and his missus.

"Now old chap, I'd like to show you something before you return to your duties," his master continued, brandishing a small rusty key from his pocket.

"What are you going to show me, sir?" Gunnar asked, hoping he wasn't being too rude or inquisitive.

"Wait and see," he told him, opening a nearby door, which Gunnar knew led to the basement.

Gunnar had never been down in the basement, even in service. The reason was because his master used it as a private study for his work. He had never thought to ask what he was doing down there, in case he was being too curious for his own good.

"Come along, we haven't got all night," his master continued, as he walked down the basement, not even bothering to turn the nearest light on.

Gunnar clapped his freezing hands together and as he followed his master down the ancient creaking stairs, he was excited at the prospect of what could be down below in the basement.

* * *

Lady Dielih Kardssen was sitting comfortably on her favourite armchair, by the fireplace, trying to warm herself up. The darkened street outside wasn't the only cold place at the moment. The house was cold too, so that was why the fire was alight in the fireplace.

Suddenly, a noise clicked and Dielih turned to see what the sound was. In the corner of the room was a darkened figure, which seemed to blend in with his surroundings.

"Who… who are you?" Dielih asked, slightly petrified at the fact that she was no longer alone.

The figure didn't say a word, but it raised its hand. In its hand was a weapon, a revolver. The figure was also pointing the gun directly at Dielih and Dielih predicted that the figure's eyes were also fixed on her.

"What do you want?" Dielih enquired, "Money?"

"I don't want any money," the figure replied, "I've already been given my fair share and I've been through plenty of bribes already. No, I, or rather my master wants you dead. Leaving you alive isn't an option, I'm afraid. Sorry."

And before Dielih could say anything, to protest why she should live or why this figure should allow her to stay alive, it had all happened in a flash of a second. A loud bang had sounded from the pull of the figure's trigger of the revolver.

* * *

**Note:** Eilidh Brown is an original character created by Simon Barnes.


	2. Chapter One: A Quick Pit Stop

* * *

**Doctor** **Who**

**Heart of Darkness**

* * *

_**Chapter One**_

_A Quick Pit Stop_

Inside the TARDIS, the lights were beginning to dim, darkening the large interior of the old time and space machine. Standing at the large centre console of the TARDIS was it's main occupant and owner, the Doctor. He was rather agitated by the TARDIS malfunctioning, but soon enough, he'd have the answer to the problems that it was currently having, for the TARDIS seemed to break down on what seemed like a daily basis.

"Come on, old girl, what's the matter with you, eh?" the Doctor began to ask, as he stroked the console with his hands.

One of the Doctor's companions, Eilidh Brown looked up. She felt rather tired, after a restless night aboard the TARDIS. Normally, she slept fine, but she had a weird dream of a house in Cardiff, called Black Smoke. She didn't want to worry the Doctor about this, so she decided to treat things normally.

"When you said old girl, you didn't mean me, did you, Doctor?" she asked, trying to lighten the atmosphere in the now almost shadowy TARDIS.

Her comment seemed to have worked. The Doctor grinned, but he became serious again. Whether it was saving the universe or helping anyone in a crisis, the one thing the Doctor felt really close to was his TARDIS and he didn't like it when there was something wrong with his "old girl". Eilidh noticed it as his only constant friend, on his many years of travelling in time and space.

"We're going to have to make a quick pit stop, I'm afraid," the Doctor concluded as he stood up from the enormous console, "Cardiff, 2010, your old home, Eilidh!"

He bounced around excitedly, grabbing his brown pinstripe jacket and putting it on.

"Cardiff, eh?" the Doctor's other companion, Captain Jack Harkness asked, "Let's just hope I don't run into the old team again and be forced to stick with them for a while."

Jack was referring to Torchwood, the old company he used to work for and his team where he was the leader. In the TARDIS, however it seemed like Jack was the second-in-command to the Doctor. After all, the Doctor was the expert in travelling the universe.

"You all right, Eilidh?" the Doctor asked, looking up at Eilidh.

"Fantastic," she lied quickly, hoping the Doctor wouldn't notice.

But what would be the point? The Doctor would soon notice something was up.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"Nothing, honestly," she answered, almost embarrassed that the Doctor had knew that she was lying, "It's just I had a dream last night. Nothing important."

"That's okay then," the Doctor replied, but he didn't look too convinced.

A small bump could be heard. The TARDIS had finally landed.

"Right, Cardiff!" the Doctor concluded again happily, "We'll just recharge her systems via the Rift and off we go, resuming our endless travels through time and space, ha!"

Eilidh almost laughed at the Doctor's enthusiasm. No matter how bad things were, the Doctor was always excitable and optimistic. Back home, Eilidh knew there weren't many people like the Doctor, if at all.

"Could I take a walk, Doctor?" Eilidh asked, as the Doctor returned his gaze to the console, "It'd be nice to see Cardiff again."

"Yeah sure," the Doctor told her, not even bothering to look up from the console, as he slipped his "super" specks on, "Jack, you can go too, if you want, make sure that she doesn't get into any trouble."

Eilidh sighed, but realised that the Doctor was only doing what he felt was best. But why did she need a bodyguard with her though? Unless fairies had returned to invade Cardiff or any other alien threat was around the corner, what could possibly go wrong? And besides, did Jack really want to get caught up with Torchwood again?

"Sure thing, Doctor," Jack obeyed, as he slipped on his own jacket, which resembled a war jacket, "I could do with a breath of fresh air myself."

So Eilidh and Jack left the TARDIS, leaving the Doctor alone at the console.

* * *

Outside was supposed to be Cardiff, 2010. What greeted both Eilidh and Jack outside was very different. It was a complete contrast to the normal daytime, crowded Cardiff. Instead it was dark and deserted.

"Maybe the Doctor took us here when it's night time," Eilidh said to Jack as she looked around.

But even she knew this wasn't true. In fact, the location seemed to remind her of the dream she had recently. A single house was in front of her.

"I don't like it, Eilidh," Jack whispered, "I have a bad feeling about this. Let's go back inside the TARDIS, tell the Doctor he's made a mistake and landed in the wrong time zone."

"What's wrong, Jack?" Eilidh asked, "I don't like it much either, but it doesn't give me the creeps, just for an excuse to go back in the TARDIS."

"I've been here before remember," Jack told her, "I lived around for over a century, just waiting to see the Doctor again. And that house too. I've seen that house before somewhere. Black Smoke."

Those last two words that Jack had said made the hairs on Eilidh's neck stand on end. He knew this place too.

"What do you know about it?" she asked, her eyes transfixed on the large house.

"That a psychopath lives there," Jack told her, whispering, as if You-Know-Who was going to curse him or something, "I met him once with the Doctor and a friend last time I was here. Whether he lives there at the moment isn't my business, but if you're going to take a walk, Eilidh, don't go anywhere near that house."

Eilidh would've laughed, if the situation weren't as serious. The two of them were silent for a time, the only sounds being the wind, with its gentle breeze.

"Come on, Jack, it can't be that bad," she spoke finally, "Look, I promise, I won't go anywhere near that house."

Jack didn't seem too convinced.

"Alright fine," Jack replied, "But I don't care what the Doctor told me, I'm going back in the TARDIS, whether he wants me in there or not."

And with those words, Jack stormed off, opening the doors of the TARDIS and slamming them on his way in.

Eilidh sighed and took a brisk walk, hoping to take her mind off the house.

* * *

Inside the TARDIS, Jack's pessimistic feelings seemed to vanish, as the now brightly lit interior of the TARDIS appeared in front of him.

"I thought I told you…" the Doctor began, but he didn't manage to say anything else.

"Doctor, we're not in Cardiff, 2010," Jack interrupted, "We're in Cardiff, 1910, one hundred years ago."

The Doctor didn't seem too scared by this news. In fact, he seemed quite the opposite in fact.

"It's only one hundred years ago, Jack," he answered, "What could be wrong with…"

And the Doctor stopped and he looked as if his worst fears had been confirmed. Jack knew that the Doctor realised what he had meant.

"Oh," the Doctor whispered, "You mean the time when you, me and Rose…"

Jack nodded, silencing the Doctor once more.

"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear," the Doctor muttered, stroking his hair, thinking of what to do, "Right, well, let's let Eilidh finish her walk and then we'll call her back in. We better get out of here as soon as possible, once the TARDIS has finished her business with the Rift. Anything to get away from this place as soon as possible and avoid a catastrophe, like accidentally bump into ourselves or see that man again."

Time seemed to go ever so slowly for Jack and the Doctor, while they were waiting for the TARDIS to recharge herself. The moment the Doctor knew that the TARDIS was finished, it was time to get back to business.

"Jack, go and get Eilidh," he told him, "The TARDIS has finished."

Jack didn't need his instruction repeated. He walked over to the TARDIS doors, when suddenly a sound so unexpected reached his and the Doctor's ears. The TARDIS' dematerialisation noise.

"Did you press something?" Jack asked.

"No, I didn't," the Doctor answered, trying to reverse whatever the TARDIS had done, "This is way beyond my control."

"Can't you stop it?" Jack asked, as he opened the TARDIS doors, only to be greeted by half of Cardiff and half of the Time Vortex.

"No," the Doctor told him, "This is all the TARDIS' doing, I'm afraid."

* * *

Eilidh's walk had concluded with a quick visit to Black Smoke. Her curiosity had got the better of her and just as she was about to knock on the door, an unexpected echo reached her ears. The TARDIS was dematerialising.

"Doctor!" Eilidh shouted, jogging down the cobble steps and running towards the disappearing blue police box, "Doctor!"


	3. Chapter Two: Trapped

* * *

**Doctor** **Who**

**Heart of Darkness**

* * *

**_Chapter Two_**

_Trapped_

The blue police box shape of the TARDIS had disappeared. Its dematerialisation sound quietened down, leaving Eilidh alone in the eerie darkness. Had the Doctor and Jack really left her behind? Was this their idea of a joke? How long were they planning to worry her to death?

_Panicking isn't going to get me anywhere_, Eilidh thought, taking deep breaths to come herself down, her eyes still transfixed on the spot where the TARDIS had been.

It was then that Eilidh noticed a bench nearby. The best thing that she could do was sit there and wait for the TARDIS to re materialise. But sitting on a cold, hard bench didn't help. Five minutes passed and the TARDIS still hadn't returned. What was going on?

Suddenly, Eilidh heard a noise from Black Smoke. A door opened and a man was running down the steps towards the bench where Eilidh was sat.

"My dear," he spoke softly as he too sat on the bench, "You'll catch a cold sitting out here, for it's winter after all…"

But the man stopped talking, as he looked up at Eilidh's face.

"Oh my… oh thank… thank the lord," he stuttered, "Do you remember who I am?"

"You're from my dream," Eilidh told him, "Mr Crouch?"

"You do remember," he replied, rubbing his hands together excitedly, "But please, no need for fancy titles. You can call me, Gunnar. You always did when you were a little girl, despite what your relatives' insistence that you called me by my professional title."

Eilidh was confused. How did Gunnar know who she was? After all, she had only dreamed about him and two other people, as well as a murder that took place.

"How do you know me?" Eilidh asked, feeling a bit uncomfortable, "I only dreamt about you, so how do you know me?"

At this point, Eilidh was hoping upon all hope that the TARDIS was return and the Doctor and Jack would take her back to the warm and safety of the TARDIS.

Gunnar however looked shocked and slightly disappointed.

"Oh dear," he began, "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Eilidh, I didn't want to tell you this, as it isn't my place, but your mind is damaged. When I get you back home, those who love and care for you will restore your mind."

"What are you talking about?" Eilidh asked, "Are you some kind of pervert or something?"

Gunnar's hands were steadily approaching Eilidh's body, as if he was attempting to drag her away from the bench.

"Please, Eilidh, you need help," Gunnar attempted to reassure her, "You don't want to remain broken, do you?"

And as his hands touched Eilidh, she squirmed and dragged herself backwards on the icy bench.

"Get your hands off me!" Eilidh shouted, kicking Gunnar in a place where it most probably hurt him.

Stunned and bemused, Gunnar wheezed in pain, as he attempted to stand up probably.

"I'm sorry," he replied, "I'm so sorry. I didn't want you to be broken, not like me, not like how I've ended up. Please, Eilidh, come home with me. You can be repaired."

This man made no sense to Eilidh. Broken? Repaired? It was as if he was comparing himself and her to a machine.

"If you don't want to come with me, because I've made you feel pressured, than I'll understand," Gunnar concluded, as he turned away from the bench and walked away.

Eilidh sat back on the bench, watching him walk back towards Black Smoke. Halfway there, he turned around.

"Of course, if you don't want to sit out here in the cold all night," he began, "You can always come with me and I'll let you have the guest room for the night."

And the man turned around again. Eilidh considered his words carefully. What were you taught at school? Don't talk or trust strangers? But this Gunnar person wasn't a stranger, was he? He had claimed to know Eilidh in ways that even she didn't know. Besides, as he had said, it was better than waiting around on some crummy bench all night.

"Gunnar!" Eilidh shouted, standing up from the bench, "Wait for me!"

* * *

The TARDIS still hadn't dematerialised. The Doctor was still trying to get control of the centre console and Jack was still waiting for an answer from him. The Doctor was in his element and was very serious. He didn't want anything else to go wrong, while the TARDIS was out of his control and Jack realised that he couldn't afford to distract him, while he was doing everything in his power to get the TARDIS back to normal.

Soon, the TARDIS stopped with a loud crash and the Doctor and Jack found themselves flying into the console. After the initial shock of a poor attempt at landing, both men stood themselves back up again.

"Let's just hope we're not at the end of the universe again, eh?" the Doctor asked, grinning slightly, despite the situation that he and Jack were currently in.

"Where are we then?" Jack asked, as the Doctor flicked several switches hoping to find a problem.

"She's not responding to me," the Doctor muttered to himself, before realising that Jack was asking a question, "Where are we, did you say?"

Jack nodded. Even if the Doctor was a little absent minding, this was a genius at work and Jack never doubted him.

"Well the TARDIS isn't giving me any clue as to where we are," the Doctor began, "So I'm afraid that we're nowhere, not even at the end of the universe."

"Nowhere?" Jack asked, slightly confused, "What do you mean by nowhere?"

"Nowhere," the Doctor answered, "Lost, gone, vanished, kaput."

Jack was slightly amused by the Doctor's choice of explanation to the word nowhere, but he didn't say anything, hoping that the Doctor would give an alternative explanation of where they were.

"In other words," the Doctor began, "Nowhere. Out of time. Sorry about that."


	4. Chapter Three: Wrong Time and Place

* * *

**Doctor** **Who**

**Heart of Darkness**

* * *

_**Chapter Three**_

_Wrong Time and Place_

"Out of time?" Jack asked, wondering how anyone, even someone like him could exist somewhere where there was no time, "Is that even possible?"

"It is possible," the Doctor told him, "I've been out of time before, but only very rarely. I don't particularly like to get myself involved anywhere without time, never can trust anywhere without time, even without a clock…"

"Doctor," Jack interrupted, "Problem is what are we going to? What about Eilidh?"

The Doctor looked up, a grave look on his face.

"Leave," he told Jack, "Unless you want to stay."

"No!" Jack responded, a little too sharply.

The Doctor was grinning at this. Jack didn't return the feelings, but he knew that the Doctor was only joking. The trouble was that Jack didn't particularly want to have to sit around, waiting for the Doctor again, like he did during his many years on Earth.

At least now, Eilidh would know how he felt, if he and the Doctor didn't manage to return to her.

"Think positively, Jack," the Doctor continued, as if he had read his mind, "The TARDIS may have brought us here, but I can bring her back to Eilidh."

The Doctor pressed a switch and an unexpected noise confirmed both his and Jack's worst fears.

"Or maybe not," the Doctor concluded, clicking his tongue and he pressed several more buttons and pulled more switches.

At one point, the Doctor was forced to bring out his hammer and knocked it several times on the centre console. The Doctor ruffled his hair and gritted his teeth in disappointment.

"She's not responding," the Doctor told Jack, "She's not working."

"So what do we do?" Jack asked, hoping that he didn't sound impatient or sulky or even ungrateful.

"Wait until the TARDIS recovers," the Doctor told him, "The bad news is that there's nothing to accelerate the TARDIS' recovery, but the good news is, we're being protected from whatever is outside the TARDIS and she's protecting us from any harm."

Jack looked at the TARDIS doors and wondered what could possibly be outside at this very moment.

"Doctor, what's out of time?" Jack asked.

"Nothing you need to know any details about," the Doctor muttered, as he walked around the console, "But whatever you do, don't go outside for a space walk or anything. You might be immortal, but out here, anything's possible and you might not be able to survive the effects of whatever's out there."

And then, as if Jack was thick, the Doctor spoke quite clearly:

"So stay inside the TARDIS, if you know what's good for you."

Jack wasn't impressed at being patronised, even by the Doctor. It was as if he was explaining that one and one made two.

* * *

Inside Black Smoke, Eilidh was greeted by the same interior that she saw in her dream, but she didn't have the opportunity to admire the pleasant look of the house. Gunnar was leading her to what appeared to be a living room of some sorts, with a fireplace alight and the chairs awaiting someone to sit in them.

A man was sitting down in one chair and when he looked up, his face went completely pale. Eilidh recognised him straight away as Gunnar's master.

"It's you," he whispered, starring at Eilidh, "It's you."

"Yeah, it's me," Eilidh replied, trying to keep the discussion light, "Not that it's any of your business, mind."

The man looked shocked. Eilidh turned to look at Gunnar, but he seemed to be trying to stay out of the conversation and he also seemed to be avoiding Eilidh's eyes, as he looked around innocently, until his master called out to him.

"Mr Crouch. Please make her old room respectable."

"Of course sir," Gunnar replied, bowing slightly and walking out the room.

Old room? Whatever did the man mean?

"Eilidh, it's so great to see you again, after all these years," the man told her, as he stood up and pulled her into an embrace."

Eilidh didn't push the man away from her, as he was warming her up quite nicely, but she didn't return the hug. Soon, the man parted from her and looked ashamed somewhat.

"Don't you remember me, Eilidh?" he asked.

Something strange was going on. Eilidh had noticed it was similar with Gunnar, but how did this man know her?

"No, I don't," Eilidh told him, "I've never met you before in my life."

The man was shocked. He walked slowly backwards and collapsed into the chair he had just been sitting in.

"That pains me, Eilidh, it really does pain me," he told her, "But no matter. Your mind is damaged and it needs healing and we'll take it in small steps."

"What do you mean?" Eilidh asked, feeling as though this was a similar conversation to one she would possibly have with the Doctor.

"Sit down and when Mr Crouch returns, he can make us another nice few cups of tea," he told Eilidh, "After all, drinking tea is the British way of sorting out life's issues. Now if you'd excuse me, I have a small duty to attend too."

* * *

"We're in the wrong time and place," the Doctor said over the hushed hum of the TARDIS, as he worked on the underneath panelling on the floor, "Trapped from the fabric of time."

"Ha, you can say that again," Jack agreed, trying to make himself comfortable, but to no effect.

Jack decided it was no use. He didn't want to sit around, hoping that the TARDIS would recover any time soon. Standing up as quietly as possible, Jack crept over to the TARDIS doors and opened them silently. The Doctor looked up from below, just as Jack had one of his feet outside the TARDIS.

"No, Jack don't!" the Doctor bellowed, but Jack had already shut the door, slightly guilty at the prospect of seeing what a timeless place would be like.

* * *

In Eilidh's room, Gunnar made sure everything was nice and tidy for Eilidh, when she would sleep in here, for the first time in years. Gunnar felt suddenly eerie. His body was trembling and his skin felt cold. Gunnar shook the feeling off, but it didn't seem to have completely left him.

Sighing, Gunnar left the room, returning to any other duties his master had given him.

* * *

"Jack, you idiot!" the Doctor shouted, "Why is whenever I tell someone to say in the TARDIS, I mean it!"

The Doctor angrily strode over to the doors, preparing to chase after Jack, but he was being prevented by something, a force at least. The Doctor stumbled backwards onto the console and fell onto the floor, holding his head together with both hands in agony.

"_What are you?"_ the Doctor asked, _"Who are you?"_

"_Oh you know me, Doctor and you know that your end is near, Doctor, if I do say so myself,"_ the voice replied, with a small chuckle after his words.

"_You,"_ the Doctor spat, _"Why? You're dead? I defeated you. Well me, Rose, Jack and Mickey, how could I forget the idiot, we definitely defeated you."_

"_Maybe you did, Doctor,"_ the voice replied, _"But not yet in my own personal timeline, Doctor. You forget, time is relative, but where you are, isn't."_

"_Are you threatening me?"_ the Doctor asked angrily.

"_As you liked to say, oh yes,"_ the voice retorted, _"But from where you are, I don't think you'll be able to interfere this time and from where your current companions are, I wouldn't say they can either. Enjoy."_

And the Doctor was left alone, to manic laughter.

* * *

Eilidh sat down and was grateful to be greeted by a warm, comfortable chair. As she took her tea from the coffee table, she took her time, looking around the living room, at the many pieces of art and at the body on the floor. Body on the floor?

"Oh, I see you've just noticed the rather, inappropriate corpse in front of you," the man said, noticing Eilidh's look on her face, as he walked into the room, "I'm sorry, Mr Crouch hasn't had time to move it to another, more appropriate place, what with his duties and all."

Eilidh looked at the man. Was he insane? Or was he joking and in any minute, the woman would get up and start laughing?

"Do you kill people?" she asked.

"Why would I kill my wife?" the man retorted, "I'd never kill anyone, especially not my beautiful Dielih. No, whoever killed her did it to provoke a response out of me."

Eilidh turned away from Dielih's body. The sight was too sickening. Why the body was even there in the first place was anyone's guess, but she didn't want to go into the subject any further than was necessary.

"You know, Eilidh, your name was inspired by my darling wife," he told her, trying to make conversation, "Eilidh is an anagram of Dielih, in case you wanted to know."

Eilidh had noticed this, but she didn't want to complicate the issue, so she nodded and kept close eye contact with him, in case he did anything.

"I'm so glad you're back with me, Eilidh," he told her, "After all these years, you're back home with me."

Eilidh leant forward and stared at the man. He seemed familiar, because of the dream, but even more familiar, in a way that even she didn't know.

"Who are you?" Eilidh asked.

"Sir Albert Kardssen," he told her, "I'm your father, Eilidh."


	5. Chapter Four: Timeless Time

* * *

**Doctor** **Who**

**Heart of Darkness**

* * *

_**Chapter Four**_

_Timeless Time_

Eilidh was shocked at this revelation, to say the least. She realised that while Albert was waiting for her to reply, her mouth was fully open, so she shut it quickly and breathed in, thinking of the best way to respond.

"So you're my dad?" she asked, "After everywhere I've been, I get this. A new dad."

Albert stood up at this and if Eilidh wasn't in the current position she was at the moment, he would've hit her, but he managed to prevent himself from doing so.

"How could you say such a thing?" he asked, "I'm your father!"

"But I've never met you before!" Eilidh shouted, standing up for the first time, since she'd got in the house, "I've only ever seen you in a dream I had recently!"

And Eilidh took her chance to storm out of the room. On her way out she accidentally bumped into Gunnar.

"Sorry," she told him breathlessly, before continuing her escape and rather foolishly going upstairs, realising that she should've made a break for it by leaving the house.

* * *

Jack took a chance to look around his surroundings and to be honest; there wasn't much to look at. Darkness everywhere, with no signs of any life or anything for that matter. It reminded Jack of the darkness that always greeted him, whenever he temporarily died.

It was no use and Jack knew that the Doctor was right. He was better off in the TARDIS, in the safe and the familiarity. At least there, he could've talked to the Doctor about past times, even if it did distract him.

Now that he knew that there was nothing to be gaining, by staying out of time, Jack looked around for the TARDIS, but it was nowhere to be seen. Slightly confused and a bit frightened at this, Jack looked around again. Nothing. The TARDIS couldn't have disappeared without Jack knowing it, for he would've heard the TARDIS dematerialise. _But perhaps_, Jack thought, _maybe sound doesn't exist here too_.

"Doctor?" Jack called out, obviously realising that sound did exist and that his theory was wrong, "Doctor, where are you? Doctor, if this is your idea of a joke."

He stopped, realising that the Doctor wasn't that callous.

"It's not funny," Jack concluded.

* * *

Gunnar walked into the room to see his master and he looked rather distraught.

"Sir, is something troubling you?" Gunnar asking, rushing over to him.

"Oh nothing," his master told him, shaking off Gunnar's reassuring hand on his shoulder, "Mr Crouch, please make me and my daughter a nice cup of tea, would you?"

Gunnar understood that his master didn't want anyone to try and comfort him in times of distress. He remembered how his master's wife used to deal with making him feel better.

"Of course, sir," Gunnar obeyed, "But pardon me to ask, sir, but how did she take it? The news, I mean."

"Very badly, I'm afraid," his master told him, "But at least she didn't run out on us again, like she did when she was a young girl. She's retreated upstairs, presumably to her old bedroom. When you've finished with your other duties…"

"What about the tea, sir?" Gunnar asked, realising he shouldn't have asked, "Surely a good cup of tea will boost your spirits."

"Mr Crouch, tea can be made later!" his master snapped, "And who do you think you are, my wife? Attend to your other duties first, then you can make the tea and bring both cups upstairs!"

And with those words, his master left the room. Gunnar was slightly shaken at how his master had just treated him, but he was used to the harsh handling of his other masters, so his current master didn't scare him that much.

"Best complete my other tasks then, sir," Gunnar muttered to himself, "Since I'm broke, after all."

* * *

Eilidh sat in what appeared to be her room. The room was almost like a play area for a young girl, way before her time. There was a rocking horse, a doll's house and loads of other playthings for young girls. There was a bed in a corner and when Eilidh laid down on it, her feet hung off the end of the bed.

Eilidh heard a knock on the door. She didn't reply, but whoever had knocked didn't want for one. The door slowly opened and Albert stood in the doorway.

"I'm truly, deeply sorry for the pain I've caused you, Eilidh," he began, walking in and he obviously wanted to sit down, but there wasn't anywhere else to sit, "I really didn't think you'd be in such a state when you returned home. I thought you'd be excited to see the old place again."

"Well, as you can see I'm not," Eilidh retorted, "I don't even know you, I don't know this place, I…"

"You don't know yourself, Eilidh," Albert interrupted, "Once you've calmed down, I can help you regain your memories. You're broken, Eilidh and the moment that man with the strange blue box appeared, I knew they'd be trouble."

As if someone had switched something on, something in Eilidh's mind clicked.

"Blue box?" Eilidh asked, "What do you mean?"

"Oh it's nothing," Albert told her quickly, as if he wanted to avoid it, "We'll talk about that some other time. For now, I want you to rest and sleep off tonight's events. I need to go to my study and carry on with my work. And if it helps, you can call me dad, if you want."

And Albert kissed her on the head.

"Goodnight sweetheart," he told her.

"Goodnight… Dad…" Eilidh called, not sure if she felt comfortable calling Albert her dad.

He grinned and left.

* * *

For a short time, there was silence. What had seemed like endless laughing had ended and the only sound that the Doctor could hear was the never-ending gentle hum of the TARDIS. But all of a sudden, the voice returned to the Doctor's mind.

"_How are you doing, Doctor?"_ the voice began, _"Have you recovered?"_

"_Your laughing didn't particularly help, but I just about recovered, well maybe nearly, well maybe not at all, but to be honest, as you can see or tell, I'm very unsure of how I'm currently feeling,"_ the Doctor replied angrily and rather quickly, _"You have a very sadistic, if unoriginal way of torturing people."_

"_Why thank you for your constructive criticism, Doctor, it's a gift,"_ the voice told him, _"Do you have any particular gifts, Doctor?"_

"_Is this your best way of making conversation?"_ the Doctor asked.

"_Tell me, Doctor!"_ the voice demanded, _"I'm the one asking the questions here, not answering them!"_

The Doctor scratched the sides of his head. The voice felt like a speaker being placed right next to your ear and a voice being shouted in it.

"_Well, I've been very good at going on about things,"_ the Doctor told him_, "Anything really from my travels in time and space, how to save the universe with a kettle and a piece of string and about the time I broke a kitchen sink…"_

"_Silence!"_ the voice interrupted, _"Spare me the uninteresting details, Doctor, I have no time for your pointless chattering. Now, I hope you and your companion enjoy your timeless time in, well out of time, if I can be so bold."_

"_I'll stop you!"_ the Doctor spat through gritted teeth, _"I don't care how long it takes me, I'll stop you!"_

"_Well you can dream up a plan to stop me, while I enjoy as much time as I can,"_ the voice threatened, _"Until the next time, Doctor."_


	6. Chapter Five: Heart of Darkness

* * *

**Doctor** **Who**

**Heart of Darkness**

* * *

_**Chapter Five**_

_Heart of Darkness_

There was a knock on the door. Eilidh didn't need to get off her bed to open the door, as the knocker them self opened it. It was Albert, her dad.

"I'm sorry to disturb you at this time of night, my dear," he told her, walking in and closing the door behind him, "I didn't think you'd be awake. After tonight's surprises, I suspected you'd be dead cold."

"What do you mean?" Eilidh asked.

"Just… just a figure of speech, Eilidh," her dad told her, "Now, get back to sleep. We've got a big day tomorrow."

He left the room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

Jack had been wondering around for a long time now, searching for any signs of the Doctor's TARDIS.

Despite the fact that there weren't any sounds to hear, Jack was always on constant guard. For all he knew, anything could sneak up on him, whether it was as real and innocent like a cat or as dangerous and biblical like the Abaddon.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Jack muttered to himself, "Doctor, help me out a bit here."

* * *

The Doctor struggled under the power of whatever force was preventing him from moving, but his captor didn't know that he and the TARDIS were intertwined, in ways that not many people understood.

"_Jack,"_ the Doctor thoughts echoed in his mind, with the TARDIS sending out his thoughts, _"The TARDIS is here."_

* * *

Eilidh walked down the stairs and she saw Gunnar, carrying out his duties.

"Gunnar!" Eilidh shouted, positively skipping down the stairs, "Gunnar, what can you tell me about my childhood here? As my father has already told me, I'm broken and I need a bit of information about my mysterious past."

Gunnar stiffened slightly, but he beamed at being addressed by Eilidh and then suddenly, to Eilidh's surprise at least, he looked down at the floor.

"I'm sorry, Eilidh," Gunnar replied, "It's not my place. I'm broken too remember, so I can't give any information whatsoever."

"Come on," Eilidh pleaded, "Surely it wouldn't hurt if you told me a little bit. I won't tell father if you won't."

Gunnar chuckled, but remained serious.

"Okay, but you mustn't breath a word of this to your father," he warned her, "If you do… I'll… I'll…"

"What's the matter, Gunnar?" Eilidh asked, interrupting his nervous stuttering, "And what do you mean by broken? You keep saying you're broken and father keeps telling me I'm broken too. What does he mean? What do you mean?"

"Please, don't make me say anything," Gunnar begged, as he actually knelt down on his knees and put his hands together, "If I do, I'll… I'll become even more broken… I'll become much more broken than ever before."

"Gunnar, please!" Eilidh shouted, "I need to know! What's father being saying?"

A sudden noise made Eilidh jump, but Gunnar remained quite still. Eilidh turned around to see her father, standing at the doorway of the basement, where his study was located.

"As a little girl, I always told you that you were to mind your business!" he snarled, "It seems that your time away, hasn't changed that!"

"I'm so sorry, father," Eilidh replied, "I was just curious…"

"Yes, you are, aren't you?" he asked, "A little too curious for your own good and you still are. Once I've done what must be done, I can get my daughter back and I can repair you."

"What about me, sir?" Gunnar asked, speaking for the first time, since Albert had been on the scene, "Will I be repaired too?"

The lips on Albert's face, turned into a nasty grin. Eilidh felt uncomfortable, just staring at the cold and cracked lips and the pale face behind them.

"That remains to be seen, Mr Crouch," he told him, "But both of you, come with me. I have something to show you both."

* * *

"The TARDIS!" Jack shouted, as he noticed it, "I knew you wouldn't let me down, Doctor!"

Jack ran towards the TARDIS, pushing the doors as hard as he could when he entered. The first thing he noticed was the Doctor and he looked extremely battered.

"Doctor?" Jack asked, "Are you okay, Doctor?"

The Doctor didn't respond. He just stood there, with his eyes shut, no signs of movement at all.

"Doctor?" Jack continued, shaking him, hoping for a response of some sort, "Don't do this to me now."

* * *

"Welcome to my lair," Albert began, leading Eilidh and Gunnar the stairs, "The Heart of Darkness."

Eilidh was interested at what she saw. So this was her father's study. A basement full of equipment that looked strange to her. Beside her, Gunnar was shaking so violently, she was waiting for the moment when he'd yell out in fear.

"Make yourselves comfortable," he told them, "We can enjoy the picture show of the Doctor."

"Thank you sir," Gunnar responded, "Very kind of you…"

"Not you, Mr Crouch," Albert snapped, "I was talking to my daughter, actually. Now, make the tea, like I asked you to half an hour ago."

"Of course, sir," Gunnar replied, jogging up the steps, as if he was expecting a book to be thrown at him for incompetent behaviour.

And flicking several switches on a table, Eilidh saw a large image of two men. They seemed familiar to Eilidh, but she didn't say anything. The room they were in, seemed strange, but also oddly familiar.

"You'll enjoy this, Eilidh," her father told her, "This is where I get to exact my revenge on the people that wrecked your mind."

He pressed a single button and began.

* * *

"_Hello, Doctor,"_ the voice began, _"It's great to see or rather speak to you again."_

"_Can't say the same I'm afraid,"_ the Doctor replied.

"_Well, I'm afraid that's your problem, if you can't act civil,"_ the voice warned him, _"I've got a very special person who may speak with you."_

"_Who?"_ the Doctor asked.

"_Eilidh,"_ the voice answered.

The Doctor would've bounced with happiness that Eilidh was still alive, but in the position he was now, he couldn't move or say anything, except in his mind.

"_If you've harmed her,"_ the Doctor began.

"_Think about it, Doctor,"_ the voice interrupted, _"Why would I hurt my own daughter, my own flesh and blood?"_

"_I know you,"_ the Doctor retorted, _"You'd do anything, no matter who got hurt along the way."_

"Doctor, I'm going to give you a small break, as I'm going to see if Eilidh would like to talk to the criminals that took her away from me?"

There was nothing to be heard. Criminals? What did he mean?

* * *

"Would you like to talk to the people who've broken you, Eilidh?"

Eilidh thought about it. Speaking to the people who were responsible for the state she was in was scary, just even thinking about it, but if she didn't speak to them…

"Okay, I'll discuss what I need to with them," Eilidh answered.

* * *

"_Hello, who are you?"_ a new voice asked.

"_Eilidh, is that you?"_ the Doctor asked.

"_Yes, it is me,"_ Eilidh answered, _"I'll repeat my last question. Who are you?"_

"_Eilidh, you know me, I'm the Doctor,"_ the Doctor told her, _"We're friends, we've seen great things and…"_

"_Don't lie to me, I don't know you!"_ Eilidh snapped, _"Other than when you took me away!"_

"_Took you away?"_ the Doctor asked, outraged, _"Eilidh, I never took you anywhere! Well, you joined me and Jack to explore the wonders of the cosmos. What's happened to you?"_

"_Father says he'll fix my broken memory,"_ Eilidh informed the Doctor, _"But only once he's dealt with you in person."_

"_What?"_ the Doctor asked, _"Whatever your so-called father is telling you are a pack of lies! Oh this is what happens when I get involved with families, including fake ones…"_

"_I don't want to talk to you anymore,"_ Eilidh interrupted, _"Father always taught me never to talk to strangers."_

"_No Eilidh, wait, let me explain!"_ the Doctor shouted.

Silence greeted the Doctor.

* * *

The Doctor woke up and shouted out.

"We've got to stop him!"

"Who, Doctor, who?" Jack asked, following the Doctor, as he checked the console of the TARDIS.

"Our old friend back in Cardiff, back in the past," the Doctor told him grimly, "Sir Albert Kardssen."


	7. Epilogue: Showdown

* * *

**Doctor** **Who**

**Heart of Darkness**

* * *

**_Epilogue_**

_Showdown_

Jack stood there in shock. How could it have been Albert Kardssen? Jack had been the one who had killed him and he was the one who had shot him with his own gun.

"You might've killed him, Jack," the Doctor began to explain as he ran around the console, flicking various switches and pressing several buttons, "But remember, personal timelines are rather complicated."

"So what you're saying is that we've met Kardssen before, but he's never met us before?" Jack asked.

"Exactly!" the Doctor replied, bouncing up and down with excitement, as the TARDIS began the journey to their new destination, "Well, sort of. You see, I've met Kardssen twice."

Jack was intrigued.

"Twice?" he asked.

"Oh yes," the Doctor told him, standing tall and proud, "The first time I met him was the last time he met us. The second time I met him was when he first met me. And the third time, which is this time, will be his second time that he's met me. You get me?"

Jack nodded, but was slightly confused at what the Doctor had just explained. He usually explained things quite quickly, as if everyone else was on a similar intelligence to him.

"So now what?" Jack asked, as the TARDIS rocked from side to side, "I get another chance to shoot him?"

The Doctor was appalled.

"Don't be so insensitive, Jack," the Doctor warned, "No matter how much hatred you feel for one person, you can't kill that person more than once. We have to spare him this time, so your earlier self can kill him later."

Jack nodded.

"I understand, Doctor," he replied.

But the Doctor didn't seem to hear him, as the TARDIS landed. The Doctor checked his pockets to make sure that he hadn't left anything important behind, like his sonic screwdriver and shoved Jack towards the TARDIS doors. Before he opened them however, the Doctor held Jack back.

"Be careful out there," he advised, "Kardssen is dangerous."

"I know that, Doctor," Jack replied, impatient to meet up with their old enemy again, "At some point he's got to know I'm immortal, otherwise, how would he know in the future?"

The Doctor was astounded.

"Of course," he muttered under his breath, "Jack, I'm sorry to say this, but let Kardssen kill you at some point."

The Doctor opened the TARDIS doors.

"What happens if he doesn't try and kill me?" Jack asked.

"Kill yourself," the Doctor responded.

Jack rolled his eyes.

"I'm flattered, Doctor, I really am."

* * *

"They're here, father!" Eilidh called, "Look!"

She pointed at the blue box that had appeared in front of her and two men walked out of it. At first, her father appeared to be deeply annoyed at this and walked straight towards them, but instead he looked quite cheerful again.

"Doctor, it's a pleasure to see you again," he told the one man, holding out his hand to shake.

"Well the pleasure's all yours I'm afraid," the other man replied, pushing her father against the wall.

Eilidh was deeply annoyed at this.

"Let him go!" Eilidh shouted, "Let him go!"

She ran towards the man holding her father, but was pulled back by the man that her father had tried to talk too.

"Let me go!" Eilidh shouted, "Let me go!"

"Yes, let my daughter go!" her father shouted, "It's obviously me you have the quarrel with, let her go and let's discuss this like rational adults do, shall we Doctor?"

Eilidh looked at the man holding her. His eyes were transfixed on her and they seemed familiar, but the moment she tried to look at his eyes a bit more, they averted to the man holding her father down. He let her go, before he spoke to his companion.

"Let him go, Jack," the man (who Eilidh's father called the Doctor) warned.

Eilidh watched as the other man let her father go and he ran towards her, clutching her in his arms. He soon let go and turned to the other men.

"Now gentlemen, I'm sure we can come to some arrangement," her father began, but a noise interrupted them.

Everyone, including Eilidh turned and stared as Gunnar walked down the stairs, carrying a tray with two cups of tea.

"Sorry to disturb you," he told them all, as he placed the tray down and handed the two cups to Eilidh and her father, "I've brought you your tea."

He smiled, as if he was expecting some reward.

"Thank you very much, Mr Crouch," her father told him, "Now if you'd be so kind, please make these two gentlemen each a cup of tea, plenty of milk and no sugar, so they can add it to taste if need be."

Gunnar looked slightly agitated. Eilidh was about to ask what the matter was, but he spoke first.

"Sir, I'm broken," he argued.

Her father wasn't pleased and a look of fury on his face appeared.

"What have I told you?" he shouted, "Not to discuss your personal life around our guests! Now make the tea, otherwise…"

But he refrained himself from speaking any further and Gunnar retreated as fast as he could.

"You have a strange effect on your staff, Kardssen," the Doctor told him, speaking for the first time in a while, "They seem to be so fragile, as does Eilidh here."

The Doctor pointed at Eilidh. She seemed taken aback, but he winked at her, which had provoked a response from her father.

"How dare you speak to her!" Kardssen bellowed, "You've damaged her mind, leaving her fragile!"

"Excuse me, Kardssen, me damaging her mind?" he asked, pointing again at Eilidh, "What about you? You're the one who captured her, manipulating her into believing you're her father and you're responsible for all of this, as you always were the last times we met, as you will probably remember. What've have you got to say to that, eh?"

Eilidh looked at her father. He seemed taken aback, but he didn't back down too easily.

"We've only met once, actually," he replied.

"Does it really matter how many times we've met?" the Doctor asked, shaking his head, "This is the third time I've met you, second time you've met me. You know that the TARDIS is a time machine, so history between various persons or people are going to get extremely complicated, even for me."

"Yes and your time machine is responsible for my daughter who has forgotten her past!" her father shouted.

"What past?" Jack asked, speaking for the first time, "She doesn't have one with you."

"Exactly," the Doctor added, "You've replacing her actual memory with a fake one. You've been using this place to add false memories to replace the true ones and when you had all the necessary data in her brain, you provoked a response to give you an excuse to see her again."

Eilidh looked at her father again. This time, he remained deadly silent.

"You killed your wife, didn't you?" the Doctor asked, "Your wife who is apparently Eilidh's mother."

Eilidh was shocked. She felt a single tear, pouring down her face and the Doctor looked at her intently.

"I'm sorry, Eilidh," the Doctor told her, "I'm so sorry."

And suddenly, Eilidh felt a sharp, stabbing pain in her head. She screamed out, begging for the pain to stop, but it wasn't stopping. It kept going.

* * *

"I'm broken," Gunnar told himself, as he prepared the tea for the two new guests, "I'm so very broken."

Gunnar was shaking so violently, that the cups were sliding off the tray and onto the floor. Broken, much like how Gunnar was currently feeling, he prepared to make more tea and this time, he was hoping to shake less when he made it.

* * *

Jack was horrified at what he had just seen. Eilidh had just gone through hell, after the Doctor had pointed his sonic screwdriver at her and pressed a single button. Jack had wondered what he had just done, but the Doctor soon explained it to him and Kardssen.

"Kardssen here, added false memories to Eilidh, when he located my TARDIS with this machinery here. In this place, which Kardssen rightly calls the Heart of Darkness, is where he carries out his evil plans. He made Eilidh believe that she was his long-lost daughter and from here, he tortured Jack and I in the process, in a very unoriginal way, might I add."

Before anyone could reply, the Doctor continued.

"Now, returning to the topic I wanted to address most, if those false memories that Eilidh received could be added, than they could surely be taken away. And that's what the sonic screwdriver did. Retrieved her old memories and deleted the fake ones. Like computer files being deleted from a hard drive."

"But will Eilidh be okay?" Jack asked, concerned for his travelling companion, "She looks in a bad way to me."

"Well with a nice cup of tea and a good rest, she'll be okay," the Doctor told him, "It's a pity that tea's cold though, otherwise we'll be one step closer to Eilidh's recovery."

Eilidh was beginning to stir, as she groaned and pulled herself up from the floor.

"Where am I?" she asked, "Doctor? Jack?"

"Take her inside the TARDIS quickly, Jack!" the Doctor ordered.

"Will do, Doctor," Jack obeyed, running over to Eilidh and lifting her up.

As Jack held Eilidh steady, he made sure that he didn't look at Kardssen, in case he lost his temper.

"And when your butler returns," the Doctor continued, "Eilidh can have some tea, can't she?"

* * *

Eilidh was shivering uncontrollably, as Jack led her into the TARDIS, but he made her comfortable, before leaving.

"Now, Eilidh, I need you to stay here, where you're safe," he told her, "The Doctor and I are going to deal with Kardssen outside and make sure he never does anything like this again. Do you understand?"

Eilidh nodded, as she still continued to shiver.

"Good," Jack added, "I'll see you soon."

* * *

The Doctor watched as Jack closed the TARDIS doors behind him, before returning his gaze to Kardssen. He seemed to be gaining some confidence back as he walked towards the Doctor and talked to him for the first time in a while.

"You've deliberately sabotaged my work!" he shouted.

"Good thing too!" Jack shouted.

"It is," the Doctor agreed, "If I hadn't removed Eilidh's fake memory soon enough, she would've ended up like your butler. Broken. And what about your wife? Was she so broken that she needed to be killed?"

"My wife's death was a necessary sacrifice," Kardssen retorted, "It brought my daughter back to me."

"Eilidh isn't your daughter!" Jack shouted.

"She's our travelling companion," the Doctor added, "In short, she's made this old man grateful to be travelling around what seems to be a lonely universe."

Another noise could be heard. The butler was returning, with another tray with two cups of tea.

"Oh brilliant," the Doctor whispered, "Two cups of tea. Thank you."

The butler was slightly embarrassed, but nodded gratefully at the Doctor, as he took one of the cups of tea from the tray. Suddenly, a loud sound pierced the Doctor's ears and as he leapt away, dropping the tea as well, he noticed the butler falling to the floor.

"No!" the Doctor shouted, but he felt a pain, as he too was shot.

The Doctor yelled out, causing Jack to run over to him.

"Doctor, are you okay?" he asked, but he was shot too.

The Doctor turned to see a grinning Kardssen, walking towards the Doctor.

"See what you're interference has done, Doctor?" he asked, "Caused the death of my butler and your friend, the Captain."

The Doctor grinned, but only just.

"Oh I don't think so," he muttered.

And Jack gasped out in pain, as he returned back to life, scarring the living daylights out of Kardssen. Jack stood up and pulled a bullet from his chest.

"Doctor?" Jack asked, "Are you okay, Doctor?"

"I'm fine, thanks for asking, Jack," the Doctor told him, "But my sonic screwdriver arm has been shot."

As the Doctor struggled to get to his feet, Jack helped him up.

"Kardssen, give up," the Doctor told him, "You've failed, again, for the third time."

"Second time!" he growled.

"Okay second, but third time for me!" the Doctor shouted back, "But you must admit, Kardssen is a bit apt, well very apt, well extremely apt for your surname, isn't it?"

"What do you mean?" Kardssen asked, "Can't you get to the point where you tell me that I've been defeated?"

"Oh don't play the idiot with me," the Doctor replied, "Kardssen is an anagram of darkness, isn't it. Suits you well, being such a dark person."

"And a madman," Jack added, "I should never have trusted you."

"Yes, that too," the Doctor agreed, "Now will you accept defeat?"

"Never!" Kardssen growled.

"Well, too bad you're being a spoilsport, bye!" the Doctor shouted, quickly running to the TARDIS with Jack behind him.

* * *

"Doctor, we've got to leave now!" Jack shouted, holding the TARDIS doors, in case Kardssen tried to follow them inside.

"All in good time," the Doctor told him, "Patience is a virtue."

"What happened, Doctor?" Eilidh asked, "All I can remember is going into that Black Smoke house and…"

"Nothing to worry about," the Doctor told her, setting the course for their next destination, "Let's just get away from that place as soon as possible. I've been to Black Smoke three times to many."

"What happened?" Eilidh asked.

"I'll tell you later, well maybe not at all, but we've got to get out of here."

* * *

Kardssen watched as the TARDIS began to disappear. Like a wheezing person on their deathbed, Kardssen heard every sound the TARDIS made, as it began to disappear.

He'd been defeated for a second time. How could this possibly happen? Kardssen had sworn the last time that he would never be defeated by the Doctor ever again. His encounters with the Doctor were becoming more frequent and due to the fact that he had forgotten to disable the machinery Kardssen always used, he was free to mess around with the universe again.

A knock on the door disturbed Kardssen's thoughts. Sighing, Kardssen walked up the stairs and opened the door.

"Why, Captain Jack Harkness," Kardssen began, shaking the man's hand, "An unexpected pleasure."

"You promised me that I could see the Doctor," the younger version of Jack replied, "Please, I need to see him."

"All in good time, my friend," Kardssen assured, "Now, come inside and before you know it, the Doctor will be back to see you."

* * *

**The End**

* * *


End file.
